Tasmania

Tasmania

Tasmania is the small heart-shaped island-state off the southeast corner of mainland Australia – but because its geological cousin is Antarctica, it has a completely different landscape than that of the mainland. It’s only 190 miles wide and 175 miles long (roughly the same size as Scotland or West Virginia), but within its small boundaries, it remains largely untouched and wild. Tasmania is home to 19 national parks and they are extremely diverse. They cover mountains of dolerite and granite, white sand beaches, rocky coasts, and flat plains. Tasmania is a haven for people who like pure and varied landscapes, being active, seeing few people, eating everything locally produced, and breathing the purest air on Earth. Some of its best areas are those that combine mountains and forests with beaches and the sea, and of which there are many. Its coastlines are pristine yet rugged. Tasmania is the kind of place that you can enjoy at your own pace. You could spend three days doing different walks through one park, or, because it’s small and easy to navigate, you could summit a mountain in the morning and enjoy a wine tasting at a vineyard by the late afternoon.

Tasmania offers the perfect climate for producing some of the most amazing food and wines. Everything is local, organic, and fresh. Because of this, you are able to spend the day roughing it and then be treated to a truly gourmet meal. Tasmania doesn’t feel pretentious or overly fancy – their products are just of such amazing quality that you always feel like you’re truly indulging.

Aside from the parks, the state’s capital city, Hobart, is small, quirky, and quaint and definitely worth a visit for its markets, restaurants, and bustling waterfront culture. Hobart is sandwiched between Mt. Wellington to its West and the Derwent River to the East. There is beach, mountain, and forest within a few miles of Hobart and these accessible wonders are very much incorporated into the Tasmanian way of life. They love, respect, and protect their land as it is the essence of Tasmania.

Our favorite accommodation in Tasmania

Other areas to explore in Australia